I have a theory: This election is really an elaborate plot to make reality more like a Mel Brooks movie.
Is anyone else dying to point out Barack Obama’s “Blazing Saddles” parallels (i.e. the sheriff/presidential nominee is black!)?
That would be only amusing, but when Ulla from “The Producers” is the Republican’s vice-presidential nominee, rather than a sexy secretary/assistant to crooked showbiz men, I start getting suspicious.
If you were to throw in a musical number about men in tights to give John McCain and Joseph Biden something to do, my theory will be settled in my mind.
There are other signs, too. Just look at the way women in the campaign have been dealt with by society. Hey ladies, vote McCain-Palin, because half the ticket has the same nether regions!
Hillary Clinton? Can’t vote for her. She’s too scary; never mind her political qualifications.
Oh, and did you hear Michelle Obama’s convention speech? No, but my was her jewelry “funky.”
Only Mel Brooks would think of turning an important election into a nationwide homecoming court, right?
And think of the way people are handling Barack Obama’s race. Vote for the Black guy and make history! Is he qualified? Do we treat him the way we would any other politician? Do we respect him as a politician rather than a novelty act?
No, no and that would be boring — and so not the Mel Brooks way.
This may seem like flimsy evidence, but consider the alternative.
If this isn’t a plot by the man who came up with the song “Springtime For Hitler” and created a Jewish caricature of Yoda in “Spaceballs,” then this is really how we are dealing with presidential politics.
If this isn’t a plot, we really are crying racism at people for simply making the decision not to adore Obama. We really are tiptoeing around questioning Sarah Palin’s qualifications lest we be tarred and feathered for sexism.
At the same time, we really are ignoring the very valid and real ways sexism and racism are playing out in this campaign.
Racism and sexism are ugly words for ugly realities and using them simply to silence criticism makes them harder to take seriously when there are actual issues to address.
As usual, "Saturday Night Live" had it right when they had a fake Hillary Clinton tell the media that it is never sexist to question the credentials of a female politician.
On the same note, it is never racist to deal with a black politician by gaining a thorough understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.
And as great as it would be to have our first black president, it’s racist to vote for Obama just because he’s black, rather than because he’s a decently competent, very charismatic statesman.
I’d rather believe this is all a plot by Hollywood because if this is really how the American people are choosing to handle these two age-old and very serious issues in this election, I don’t know if I could stand it.
Reach the reporter at emma.breysse@asu.edu.
